Author Archives: Radu Iosif

Chargerito Is The World’s Smallest Phone Charger

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Claims to be the “world’s smallest” anything tend to be taken with a grain of salt around these parts. Looking at the Chargerito, however, it’s really hard to imagine the company being wrong in claiming to have developed the world’s smallest phone charger. Just look at the thing. It measures 2.1″ x 1.3″, which is about the size of a standard car key fob. You can just toss this in your pocket and feel the reassurance of knowing that you’ll be able to top up your battery pretty much anywhere you go.

Chargerito is a $19 pre-order, and comes in Apple’s Lightning cable version or Micro-USB.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Uncrate ]

The post Chargerito Is The World’s Smallest Phone Charger appeared first on OhGizmo!.

Consumer Reports: #Bendgate? What #Bendgate?

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The iPhone 6 bends…when you apply unreasonable and unnecessary pressure to bend it? Who would have thought! And like many things we read on the Internet, the less-than-scientific hysteria over #Bendgate doesn’t stand up to a rigorous stress test. That’s exactly what Consumer Reports did, and came away with the conclusion that the problem is non-existent, at least within the boundaries of normal use.

The lab used a standard crush test instrument made by Instron (this is what computer labs like HP have used for decades, and it’s what all phone manufacturers use to check their devices), and engaged in a ‘three point bend’ test. The iPhone 6 Plus, the more robust of the new iPhones in our testing, started to deform when we reached 90 pounds of force, and came apart with 110 pounds of force. With those numbers, it slightly outperformed the HTC One (which is largely regarded as a sturdy, solid phone), as well as the smaller iPhone 6, yet underperformed some other smart phones.

So yeah, the iPhone 6 Plus does bend, but not more so than other phones. It actually outperforms the iPhone 6, although in all fairness, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 came come out much sturdier, requiring more than double the amount of force to deform. Still, unless you’re actually trying to bend it, or performing extreme sitting (as MKBHD would say), you have nothing to worry about.

[ Consumer Reports ] VIA [ GearDiary ]

The post Consumer Reports: #Bendgate? What #Bendgate? appeared first on OhGizmo!.

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OhGizmo! Review: The CitySlicker MacBook Case (Bag?)

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Laptop cases and bags come in all shapes, sizes, materials, and designs. We have seen some banal, quirky, fun, and weird ones, but surprisingly not so many serious classic looking ones.

The folks at WaterField were kind enough to send us their retro-looking CitySlicker case [Editor's note: I like to think that this is a bag, and not a case. Cases usually let you use the laptop while it's still inside. This does not. -Ed.), designed specifically for the 13” MacBook Air. Right off the bat, the case emanates quality and style, especially because of its generously thick dual-leather flap, which can come in 5 different (rather serious) colors. On top of this, the unit we looked at was the upgraded CitySlicker that came with a leather grab handle, as well as a shoulder strap, giving it an even more classic high-end look. Besides the leather flap and a neoprene-reinforced bottom, the case has 3 layers of protection on the inside: a padded liner, neoprene, and impact-resistant plastic.

There are 4 simple pockets on the inside that unfortunately can hold only limited sized objects, as it needs to allow the flap to snap in properly. A charger, for instance, would have to go in the larger exterior pocket, which could sound inconvenient for walking on the street, but in reality it isn’t. At the same time, we have to remember this is a case, not a bag, and it’s supposed to carry as few things as possible.

The only less convenient aspect of the CitySlicker is the padded liner. If your MacBook Air happens to have a protective film on it, it will make the padded liner turn inside out when removing the laptop from the case. Is this enough to make walk away from the hefty $140 price tag - plus $32 for the grab handle and shoulder strap? We say no. It is fair, for the stunning quality you get.

PROS
+ Stunning quality and craftsmanship
+ Solid protection for laptop within

CONS
- Liner turns inside out when MBA is covered in protective film
- Limited amount of space for accessories

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[ Product Page ]

The post OhGizmo! Review: The CitySlicker MacBook Case (Bag?) appeared first on OhGizmo!.

OfficeChums Put A Cute Spin On USB Hubs

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There really isn’t a whole bunch to say about this product. It’s a USB hub with three MicroSD card readers. The hubs are shaped like a pig, a cat, or a dog. The MicroSD card readers are suckling from the hub. It’s… cute. Right? Anyway, the flash cards themselves clearly have to be purchased separately, but they’re cheap so you won’t break the bank in the process. It’s £19.99, or $31 and the PigChum is currently available, while the others are up for pre-order.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ HolyCool ]

OhGizmo! Review: The SWITCH Portable Bluetooth Speaker

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Earlier this year, Native Union introduced their new SWITCH wireless portable speaker into a market that is already saturated. However, we still agreed to sit down and take a look at it for any of you considering purchasing such a device.

The SWITCH is more than just your small party wireless sound system; it serves both as an external battery and as a conference call unit. It comes with a full duplex microphone that allows all participants to converse simultaneously for up to 16 hours. The battery life is quite impressive, considering it features three speakers, “including an active sub-woofer with an enhanced bass-reflex system.” This results in an unexpectedly crisp and distortion-free sound, even at high volume, making it the perfect candidate for a small apartment, office, or picnic gathering.

The SWITCH has a simple, yet practical and appealing design, with an intuitive multifunctional button and a large volume control wheel. After some extensive use, it remains tight and there is no sign of looseness. The brick-like shape of the device lets you use it in a vertical or horizontal postion, depending on the needs. To top it off, the rubbery material coating that comes in several colours gives it a high-quality feel.

Native Union is selling the SWITCH for what initially seemed like a hefty price tag: $149.99. Getting to play with the product, however, made us feel like the price was somewhat justifiable, especially for someone that will use all of its features. As mentioned before, it would work great for personal use, but also in a corporate environment, where both conference calls and socializing events take place.

[ Product Page ]

Minimalist Bladeless Fan Creates Vortex In Your Living Room

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We’ll admit we’re not too sure of how this fan works, but from what we understand, you’re looking at a bladeless fan that will circulate the air in your room in a quieter and more efficient manner than traditional fans. It also looks kind of cool. The Exhale Fan features 9 spinning discs and a 6-speed DC motor; once up to speed the discs use “the science of laminar flow” to suck the air up from underneath and fling it to the sides. This effectively creates a vortex in your room and homogenizes the temperature throughout, which in turn should lead to lower energy bills as you won’t be overheating just to feel warm in that one faraway corner of the living room. Traditional fans simply push the air down below them, which is a less efficient way of doing things.

At least, that’s what we’re getting.

In the end, it’s a cool looking fan that is quieter, and more efficient. And for the privilege of owning it, you have to pledge $250 to the Indiegogo campaign. Should it reach its goal, you can expect yours in March 2013.

For a couple of demo videos and links, just hit the jump.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ NewLaunches ]